1. ELA1 pre clinical Introduction to medicine administration
Prepared by Dr Cath Hall

2. Session plan Back to basics Review of oral medication formula
Practice in oral medication calculations
Introduction to NPC medication charts
Introduction and instruction to 8 Right’s of medicine administration
Medications calculation instruction

3. Back to basics
There are many components to medicine assessment and administration.
assessment of the client,
reading the medication order,
decision making regarding administration,
preparation for administration including knowledge of actions,
side effects of different medicines,
calculating the correct dose,
preparing the correct medication according to the route prescribed,
checking a client’s allergies,
identifying the correct client against the medication order,
administering the correct medication to the client,
documenting the administration,
and then evaluating the effect of the client.

4. Back to basics: routes, types or oral meds, orders, parts of orders
Different routes of medicine administration – oral, injectable (includes SC, IM, IV), per vagina, per rectum, ear, eye, sublingual
Types of oral medicines – eg. scored tablets, hard gelatine capsules, soft gelatine capsules sustained release capsules, liquid suspension
Types of orders – standing orders, prn orders, single dose orders, stat orders
Parts of orders – client's name, Identification number, medication name, dosage, route, frequency, prescriber’s signature, date and time.

5. Dosage explanations
The amount and strength of a medication to be administered must be carefully prepared.
We must make sure the correct dosage is administered.
You must administer the dosage ordered with the correct medication from the stock available
Depending on the type of medication the amount will be expressed in different ways

6. Dosage explanations continued
ml (millilitres) eg 5ml
mg (milligrams) eg 7mg
mcg (micrograms) eg 12micrograms

7. Frequency abbreviations in the order
Here are some examples
bd = twice a day
tds = three times a day
qid = 4 times a day
prn = as necessary
Stat = immediately

8. So what next?
So we need to read the order, see what we have in stock for that medication, then work out how much to administer to the client.

9. Review of oral medication formula
This is the formula to use:
What you want (Ordered dose) volume (always 1 for pills, capsules etc)
_______________ X __________ = required dose
What you’ve got (Stock available )
Eg – order: 500 mg paracetamol orally 4 hourly prn
Stock: 500 mg paracetamol tablets available
500 mg
_______ X ______ = 1 tablet

10. Practice in oral medication dosage calculations
Order: 750 mg Amoxycillin orally tds Stock: 250 mg Amoxycillin tablets available 750 mg 1 3 _______ X ______ = _____ = 3 tablets 250 mg 1 1

11. Another dosage calculation example
Order: 1000mg Paracetamol orally 4 hourly prn Stock: 500 mg Paracetamol tablets available 1000 mg 1 2 _______ X ______ = _____ = 2 tablets 500 mg 1 1

12. Practice oral medication dosage calculations
1. Order: 150 mg soluble aspirin orally daily Stock: 300 mg Soluble Aspirin tablets available 2. Order: 125 mg Frusemide orally Mane Stock: 20mg, 40mg and 500 mg Frusemide tablets available 3. Order: 750 mg Tinidazole stat Stock: 500 mg Tinidazole tablets available

13. Further practice examples
4. Order: 3 mg Ventolin syrup
Stock: Salbutamol 2 mg in 5 available
5. Order: 12 mg Diazepam syrup
Stock: Diazepam syrup 2mg in 5 ml
6. Order: 2gTinidazole stat
Stock: 500 mg Tinidazole tablets available

14. Introduction to national prescribing chart (NPC)
Please see attached files – or paper handouts
Identify on the NPC the following:
Name of client, identification number,
Name of medicine to be administered
Route of administration,
Frequency of administration.
Dosage to be administered,
Prescriber’s signature
Type of order, eg stat, standing,
Allergy record
Stock of medication on hand

15. Introduction to the ‘8 Rights’ of medicine administration
Right Time
Right Patient
Right Medicine
Right Dose
Right Route
Right Documentation
Right Effect
Right Education
Now look at each of these via the SAM website